Urgent repairs to a bridge in North Shields have been completed ahead of schedule, allowing Tyne and Wear Metro services to return to their usual timetable on Tuesday, November 3. Nexus confirmed that trains between Wallsend and Tynemouth will operate normally again, with the restoration work finished earlier than anticipated.
Repair work completed early
Services in the area were suspended on Monday to allow the safe completion of the repair work, which had begun the previous week. The bridge was inspected as part of a wider planned closure between St James and Monkseaton that concluded at the end of the weekend.
Initially, services were expected to resume on Thursday, but the full service will now be restored sooner than planned thanks to the efforts of Nexus staff. On Monday, customers travelling from the coast to Newcastle city centre were advised to travel via Benton instead.
Details of the complex repair
Kevin Storey, Operations Director at Nexus, said: "We are pleased to say this critical repair work has been completed earlier than planned. This was a complex repair and we allowed ourselves enough time if any unknown issues occurred."
Storey explained that the issue with the bridge's stonework was identified during a planned inspection last week. The scale of the work required erecting scaffolding above the track, removing vegetation from the bridge, and repairing and rebuilding the bridge arch brick by brick.
Safety measures and customer information
"When working on the Metro line, we turn the power off in sections so our teams can work as safely as possible. Safety is always our top priority," Storey added. "We are investigating what may have caused the recent damage."
A bus replacement service will remain in place on Tuesday morning between Tynemouth and Wallsend. Nexus advised customers to stay updated through its Pop App and X page (formerly Twitter) on @My_Metro, as well as via the Travel North East website. Travel advice is also shared through platform announcements, display screens, and station Help Points.
